WHITING, Ind. (AP) — Company officials say progress is being made on the $3.8 billion expansion of BP’s oil refinery along Lake Michigan even as environmentalists continue legal fights against the project.

BP spokesman Brad Etlin says construction, equipment purchases and engineering is about one-third complete at the Whiting refinery. Construction began in May 2008, and Etlin says the project is on pace to be finished in early 2012.

The century-old facility is the largest oil refinery in the Midwest. BP has said the expanded refinery would be the nation’s top processor of heavy high-sulfur Canadian crude oil.

The project faces an ongoing federal lawsuit and an appeal of its state permits.

Natural Resources Defense Council spokesman Josh Mogerman says the refinery should have more pollution controls to help lessen the region’s “toxic soup.”

Posted 10/12/2009